Emergency Dentist Near Me
Accidents never happen at a convenient time. They happen at all hours of the day or night and quite often demand immediate attention. Sometimes the dental emergency can be treated at home until your dentist can see you. We will look at some common dental emergencies to see the difference and how broad the term emergency truly is.
Common Dental Emergencies
- A Toothache- This is the number one complaint leading to an emergency dental situation. The pain can escalate and become unbearable making it difficult for you to sleep and eat. Call your family dentist. The office will ask you some qualifying questions and then give you tips to identify the severity of your condition. If over-the-counter pain relievers do not address the pain than you should consider it a dental emergency. You will start by applying an ice pack on your cheek near the sore tooth. You will be advised to rinse with warm salt water and to also brush and floss to remove any food particles lodged near the sore tooth. The toothache could be the result of an infection or abscess or some serious decay which is irritating nerves.
- Cracked or Broken Tooth- This can happen while simply eating or participating in a physical sport so you should schedule an appointment as soon as you can. Save any broken pieces in a cup of milk to see if the dentist might be able to reattach them. Stop the bleeding and use a cold ice pack to minimize any swelling.
- A Knocked-out Tooth- This can be a traumatic event, so try to save the tooth and do your best to get to a dentist very soon, like within the hour. It is possible your dentist can re-insert the tooth into the empty socket and literally save it. Make sure the tooth is completely clean and make your best effort to push it back into the empty socket. This is the most ideal place for it as you head to the dentist. Otherwise, you can store it in a cup of milk while you get to the dentist. If the tooth is reinserted and stabilized it has a viable chance to fuse to your jawbone again.
- Lost Crown or Filling- In either case this is not an emergency, so you can be seen within a few days or sometimes wait until your next appointment.
- A Dental Abscess- This is an infection that starts on the root of the tooth and can create intense pain. It will be advised to be seen quickly for this problem. It could result in an immediate root canal procedure to alleviate the pain and discomfort.
Finding an Emergency Dentist
Start first with your family dentist. If they are not available to help you, they will review you to whom to see. An emergency room visit might be necessary, but a dental office is certainly preferred. The number of dental emergency visits has doubled in recent decades. You might want to consider having a plan in place with your family dentist so you know how to handle an accident or a midnight toothache.